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Over half the residents at Kfar Aza still barricaded in security rooms as Israeli soldiers sweep the kibbutz for terrorists

by Yaniv Kubovich, Noa Shpigel, Eden Solomon for Haaretz
Oct 8, 2023

Residents in the southern Israeli kibbutz of Kfar Aza are still under siege in their homes at midday Sunday and waiting for succor, 28 hours after Hamas forces in Gaza launched an attack on Israel's south.

“Kfar Aza is still at war,” reads a social media message by a kibbutz member. “Please help us and send more forces to the kibbutz!”

Israeli army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Daniel Hagari said late Sunday morning that the fighting in the kibbutz was ongoing, and that “heroic battles to rescue the hostages” were underway.

The kibbutz resident’s message, sent on Sunday morning, says, “terrorists are still roaming the kibbutz, shooting on the sidewalks, concealing themselves on rooftops, some are inside the homes with hostages! There are IDF forces fighting the terrorists and evacuating people from the homes, but in practice over half the kibbutz is still barricaded in the safe rooms, out of contact, without power and reception, without food or water, and some are wounded.”

Avihai, a resident of the town of Ofakim, said that he and his family “are still besieged in the house, we haven’t received permission to leave,” and that “there are still final sweeps being conducted in the city.”

“We have no supplies." he added. "All the neighbors came to my house because I’m armed. Everyone brought food from home. We’re sharing the food, hoping it will last until we get permission to go outside.”

Gaia Calderon has family living in another southern kibbutz, Nir Oz. Some were extracted on Sunday but some remain unaccounted for.

“My father, my sister, and my brother are missing – Ofer, Sa’ar, and Erez Calderon,” she says. “During the night they found my mother and sister. From the time the attack began until Sunday at 6:00 am they were under siege, with no battery in their phones, and they ran out of food and drinks. On Sunday morning the IDF canvassed house by house and got them out. After they were rescued, they were told they were being evacuated to Eilat.”

Hagari said that security forces are sweeping a large number of locales. He added that there is no locale in the Gaza perimeter without Israeli army presence, and that “the mission is to evacuate all the residents in the perimeter area within the next 24 hours.”

Israeli forces have killed over 400 terrorists so far and taken dozens of prisoners, Hagari said. “Thus far we have attacked some 500 targets. All the homes of Hamas commanders are being attacked, all regime symbols, Hamas towers, are under attack,” he added.

Asked whether the IDF is running “roof knock” operations during the Gaza attacks, Hagari did not answer directly, saying, “The IDF is attacking in the Gaza Strip in a very widespread manner,” adding that “I won’t elaborate as to the means.” Under the procedure known as “roof knock,” the residents of buildings targeted for bombardment are warned, usually by phone, followed by a missile with a small explosive charge as a warning. Then a missile with a warhead is fired, causing the building to collapse.